Curi Bio Inc., a leading developer of human stem cell-based platforms for drug discovery, announced today it has raised $6 million in a Series A financing round. The round, led by Dynamk Capital, is expected to close with additional investors by the end of Q2 2021. The investment will be used to scale its existing business and accelerate the development of new innovative human stem cell platforms, including its MantarrayTM platform. With this financing round, Curi Bio is welcoming Dr. Gustavo Mahler, Managing Partner at Dynamk Capital, as a new board member.
“Curi Bio is thrilled to partner with the distinguished team at Dynamk to fuel our next stage of growth. At Curi, our goal is to provide drug developers with human-relevant cells, systems, and data to accelerate the discovery of new medicines,” said Michael Cho, JD, CEO of Curi Bio. “This funding validates the need for more predictive and mature human stem cell platforms to close the gap between preclinical results and clinical outcomes.”
The greatest challenge in drug development is time to market. By integrating human stem cells, tissue specific systems, and A.I./M.L.-enabled insights into phenotypic data, Curi Bio is accelerating the development of new therapeutics. Curi’s bioengineered approach to improving preclinical results, called the Curi EngineTM, includes applications in the cardiac, skeletal muscle, and neuromuscular fields. This three-pronged business strategy—human cells, systems and data—is a unique differentiator in this space.
“Curi Bio’s technology platforms create significant value for pharma and biotech companies by accelerating discovery timelines and increasing the chances of success for new products in development,” said Dr. Gustavo Mahler, Managing Partner, Dynamk Capital. “We look forward to strong growth in Curi Bio’s customer portfolio.”
Curi Bio’s core technologies and products include NanoSurfaceTM Plates for structural maturation, CytostretcherTM cell-stretching instruments, and MantarrayTM for 3D tissue contractility analysis. The MantarrayTM platform enables researchers the ability to generate 3D engineered muscle tissues, to collect clinically-relevant results in the earliest stages of drug discovery. Curi also offers a suite of services utilizing the Curi Engine, including A.I.-enabled phenotype screening studies, which allow for full customization and execution of clients’ desired endpoints.
